


April Fools

by eastwoodgirl



Category: Glee RPF
Genre: Humor, M/M, Pranks and Practical Jokes, RPF, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-19
Updated: 2014-05-19
Packaged: 2018-01-25 17:35:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,804
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1656731
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eastwoodgirl/pseuds/eastwoodgirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It all begins when Chris decides to play a prank on the unsuspecting netizens of the CRISSCOLFER fandom with Darren none the wiser and it all snowballs into a huge riot… and a coming out? RPF. AU.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chris' Prank (PART ONE)

**Author's Note:**

> Warning: RPF, coarse language, real people being real people. Not for Chillarren shippers of any shape, size or form.
> 
> Disclaimer: The persons depicted in this work of fiction do not necessarily engage in the activities as stated. No copyright infringement intended. This story is running on pure imagination and Gatorade only. Tumblr accounts mentioned are all fictional, unless I managed to put in something that does exist, I apologize. It is but a nasty coincidence and not intentional at all.
> 
> A/N: I ABSOLUTELY HAVE NO EXCUSE FOR THIS. I'M STUCK IN A WRITER'S RUT AND THE ONLY WAY TO FREE MYSELF FROM IT IS TO INDULGE MY BUNNY'S RIDICULOUSNESS. Feedback is greatly appreciated.

**0101010101010101010101010101010**

Chris Colfer was anything but petty. In fact, he had managed to cultivate an image so respectable, he would be the last person you would think that would play a trick on unsuspecting people. But an image was just that, an image. And Chris' could not do him any more disservice.

April 1st had a big red circle around it on Chris' planner, having been done months prior. You see, the mild-mannered, bright-eyed young man had a deep dark secret that no one, not even his boyfriend knew. Chris Colfer was a sucker for pranks –and with good reason. He never gets caught. That was probably the reason why nobody knew better of this hidden side of the multi-awarded actor/author.

Case in point was April Fools of 2012. The target was Ryan Murphy. The Glee Producer did nothing to upset Chris, no, that was not the point. Chris was not the TYPE to get revenge at all. Ryan simply had been in the forefront of the young actor's mind that year, nothing special. That year saw to Ryan walking around the set with melted sugar stuck in his shoes, sticky and sweet in the early spring sun for a day. Up to now, nobody knew who did it.

Another was last year's April Fools. The hair and make up department was the receiving end of Chris' playfully malicious antics. They were shooting the final episode of that season and all of a sudden, everyone who had gone to have their hair washed and blow-dried were sporting pink locks! To Chris' credit, the dye was washable, but still, seeing Dianna Agron rocking neon pink hair was such a treat, not to mention Lea Michele who almost cried upon seeing hair perfect do streaked in pink(she was only consoled when Teena told her it would come off with shampoo). Not one soul suspected a thing, not when the perpetrator himself staged a momentous storm-off upon the revelation of his new hair color. Chris even had Darren console him (Darren managed to avoid the catastrophe somehow). Speaking of Darren…

Chris faced his laptop. It was 11:59 p.m. of March 31st, exactly a minute before his favorite holiday (was it even a holiday?) arrived. The screen was open to a private Tumblr account that nobody but himself knew he maintained. A smile crossed his lips. Before that day, he had been completely unaware of what to do for this year's April Fools Day. It was not a working day, so anybody on the Glee set was off limits. And he'd never stoop as low as pranking Hannah. Not to mention the trouble he'd get in if he decided to fool his mom and dad. That only left one person…

The thing with Chris Colfer's pranks is that it never did harm anybody, nor was it private. If he did prank one particular person, the spectacle had to be seen by the public, or else, it would have only been wasted in his opinion. As Chris quickly racked his brains on how to execute the perfect prank, a post appeared on his dashboard.

It was a picture of Darren, Chord and Lea having lunch together onset. The post was pointing out the fact that Darren had made an effort to put his silver ring back on while on break from taping his 'Blaine' scenes. The post was tagged 'CRISSCOLFER', obviously citing that the ring itself was proof that there was something more than friendship going on between the two. Chris shook his head. They weren't far from the truth, in fact, it was spot on…

But the fandom did not know that. It was only pure speculation on their end. They did not know the fact that the ring did indeed come from Chris, bought from his and Darren's side trip to the Philippines where they got their matching tans…

They did not know that.

Perfect.

Chris quickly opened a link to create a new photo post. He uploaded a picture from his private album and quickly typed in a caption. With a grin, he tagged his post 'CRISSCOLFER' 'darren criss' and 'chris colfer' before hitting POST. As soon as it went live, he checked the clock. It read 12:15 a.m. Chris leaned back against his seat and sighed happily.

Happy April Fools.

**0101010101010101010101010101010**

Meanwhile on Tumblr-verse…

The post came on at ungodly hour, from a relatively unknown blogger.

A teenage girl, known by followers as darrenchrislover saw it first. It was posted by one of the new blogs she was following: princechristophereverett21.

It was a photoset. On the left side was the photo of Darren having lunch with Chord and Lea, the suspicious silver ring on Darren's right middle finger encircled in yellow. The one in the middle was of Chris (or was it Kurt?) wearing the silver ring that had been closely associated with the Klaine engagement. Chris' ring, which was on his left ring finger, was also encircled in yellow. The photo to the right was of two intertwined hands, both wearing silver rings that suspiciously looked like the same ones -

HOLY. CRAP.

The teenage girl gasped out loud as she read the caption:

 **It's about time somebody pointed it out. Maybe '** Kurt' **should buy** 'Blaine' **a ring too so** 'Darren'  **doesn't have to take it off anymore. But then again,** 'Chris' **only puts his on while filming… is it because** 'Darren' **hasn't actually made THEM official? (cough* waiting for confirmation* cough).**

And darrenchrislover never hit REBLOG faster in her entire life.

**0101010101010101010101010101010**

Darren slept late that day, Tuesday, being a non-working day for him and for the rest of the Glee cast. It was already 10 in the morning when he opened his eyes. His usual morning routine was sparse without the need to look presentable for work: get off bed, trudge to his en suite, brush his teeth, wash his face, slump back down his bed and grab his phone to check for messages. Unlike his boyfriend, he really wasn't a coffee person.

Darren was ready to throw off his covers to begin his routine when his phone rang. He blindly groped for the offending piece of convenient technology and found it situated in his bedside table. Without looking at the screen, he swiped to answer the call.

"Hell –"

"WHAT THE HELL IS THE MEANING OF THIS?"

Darren groaned audibly. He could feel a headache coming on just by the sound of the voice on the other line.

"Good morning to you too, Rick –"

"What the fuck, Darren! This isn't GOOD! NOT AT ALL! This is bad! The worst –"

"I wish I knew what you were talking about, Ricky," Darren told his handler. "But I just woke up and I really haven't even brushed my teeth –"

"Forget that! Check your online accounts! We need to do damage control!"

"WHAT?" Darren felt the last strains of sleepiness depart him completely. "What the—"

"Just check Twitter!" Ricky yelled over the phone. "Or that infernal Tumblr! And get dressed in 30 minutes! I'll pick you up! We're going to Mia's –" The line went dead. Darren ran his fingers through his unruly curls and sighed. Maybe he needed that coffee after all. He decided that since Ricky was already blowing his top, it couldn't hurt to be presentable first before he checked what the hell was going on online. Something was always going on online. What did they call it again? Oh that's right… a riot. He wondered with a rueful smile what on earth had caused Twitter and Tumblr to blow up once more.

He was drying his hands on a towel when text message came in. Darren's smile widened when he saw from whom it came:

**From: My Secret Boyfriend**

**To: My Secret Boyfriend too**

I was wondering if you needed coffee today. I had some delivered. It should get to your door in 5.

**-:-**

**To: My Secret Boyfriend**

**From: My Secret Boyfriend too**

Should I be scared? Ricky practically blasted my ear off this morning. Something happened while I was sleeping, I gathered.

**-:-**

**From: My Secret Boyfriend**

**To: My Secret Boyfriend too**

Alla was livid. Ricky yelled at her too. I swear one day, she will kill him.

Is it bad if I say I can't wait?

And SOMETHING always happens while you were sleeping, Dare.

**-:-**

**To: My Secret Boyfriend**

**From: My Secret Boyfriend too**

You –did you just quote -?

Never mind.

So can you brief me on it? Or do I have to log on to my oft-neglected Tumblr account and find out myself?

Tell Alla to get in line.

**-:-**

**From: My Secret Boyfriend**

**To: My Secret Boyfriend too**

LOG IN. Get the coffee first. Talk to you later. I still need to get Alla off her 'kill Ricky' mode.

**0101010101010101010101010101010**

Darren inhaled the scent of the Caramel Macchiato Chris sent him as he grabbed his laptop. He logged in to Tumblr: onlyrulersarestraight21. It had been a while since he was online so his ask box was expectedly filled, but he ignored that. He searched through the tags that might actually yield the answers he was looking for. He typed in 'CRISSCOLFER' and hit enter.

He almost spewed out the coffee in his mouth.

**PHOTO SET**

princechristophereverett21:

 **It's about time somebody pointed it out. Maybe** 'Kurt' **should buy** 'Blaine' **a ring too so** 'Darren' **doesn't have to take it off anymore. But then again,** 'Chris' **only puts his on while filming… is it because** 'Darren' **hasn't actually made THEM official? (cough* waiting for confirmation* cough).**

darrenchrislover:

**OMG! Chris was the one who brought THE RING. OMG! My feels! *dies***

donteverlookback:

**WTF? This is real? REAL? Asdfjklrerkkmpf…**

" **(cough* waiting for confirmation* cough)" -Darren Criss, you have some explaining to do!**

itcouldalwayshappenforever:

**Is this even happening? 'Darren's' ring came from 'Chris'. 'Kurt's' ring came from 'Blaine'. And people say we're** _**delusional** _ **? The names are obviously interchangeable.**

klainewillalwayscomewhatmay:

**I still don't get it. All I see is a picture of Darren with a ring, a picture of Chris (Kurt?) with a ring and a picture of two hands wearing matching silver rings that look like the ones Chris and Darren are wearing….**

itcouldalwayshappenforever:

**Are you blind? Check the positioning of the rings on the third picture. The larger hand on the left has his ring on the right middle finger where Darren wears his. The hand on the right has the ring on the left ring finger, similar to Chris' placement of it.**

colfersmine4687:

**DELUSIONAL.**

vampireunicornsandskates:

**/\ SHUT THE FUCK UP. Troll.**

youmakemefeelsoyoungcc:

# princechristophereverett21 – **SOURCE?**

princechristophereverett21:

**I never reveal my secrets.**

colfersmine4687:

**/\ Coz IT'S NOT REAL. This is another manip you delusional CC shippers come up with.**

vampireunicornsandskates:

**/\ I SAID, SHUT UP. Troll. No one cares what haters think. This is OUR TAG and you play by OUR rules. My babies are getting married!**

princechristophereverett21:

**I don't need to explain myself. Make of it what you want.**

**CRISSCOLFER IS ON.**

**0101010101010101010101010101010**

To say that Darren was flabbergasted was the ultimate understatement of the year. He knew exactly when and where that third photo was taken. It wasn't manipulated. Not at all. If any, it was CROPPED. Obviously, it was to preserve the identity of the two people in the same picture. The question was how did this blogger, princechristophereverett21 got a hold of it? It was a private shot for fuck's sake! Darren took a deep breath before clicking on the post. He debated on what to put under the last comment as it seemed that no one else had wanted to comment after the originating person made his statement:

**CRISSCOLFER IS ON.**

Oh, it definitely is, Darren thought. And how in the world did this blogger know about the ring Chris gave him? And a confirmation? What confirmation did they need? He was wearing the fucking ring for fuck's sake! The sound of a doorbell tore Darren away from his reveries. It should be Ricky. Let him stew for a few more minutes. Darren ignored the frantic ringing as he continued pondering on the post. He placed his tongue between his teeth before carefully typing out:

onlyrulersarestraight21:

**What confirmation? Isn't this enough?**

For emphasis, he attached his own photo with his right hand up, displaying the ring prominently in front of the camera. He then hit REBLOG.

"Darren! Open the door! We need to meet Mia in 15!" The pounding came on relentlessly. Darren sighed. He needed to face the music sooner or later. To be quite honest, he did not see the need to do "damage control" as Ricky put it. If anything, reacting to a "riot" would only add fuel to the fire. It was always the best recourse to ignore it, PR-wise. But since when did his PR ever make sense? Anything 'CRISSCOLFER' was always shut down with something 'MIARREN'. Hell, even Chris' PR hadn't stooped so low with their 'CHILL' propaganda. Darren decided to just coast along. His contract ends in a year and a half… then he can do whatever he wanted. He was about to close his laptop and meet an evidently upset Ricky by the door when he received a 'ping'. A new notification came up in his ask box. Curiously, Darren clicked on the envelope icon. He ignored the older ones and clicked on the latest. It was from princechristophereverett21:

**Chris deserves a verbal confirmation, don't you think?**

Darren stared at the message for a full minute. Ricky was still pounding on his door and it made him thankful that he had changed the security pass code last night before he slept. He hit reply.

**Not if Darren is under contract to say NOTHING.**

The reply was instantaneous:

**Darren Criss is the slyest fox I've ever had the pleasure of knowing. Don't tell me he can't come up with something.**

That reply threw Darren off. Who was this… person? And why was he speaking of him in such a familiar manner?

"Darren! I know you can hear me! I am not above tearing this door down –"

Darren closed his laptop as he mulled the words of the unknown blogger. He sighed as he half-jogged downstairs to meet with his lunatic of a handler. He knew what he needed to do. The only question was how?

**0101010101010101010101010101010**

Chris giggled as he closed his own laptop and turned to stir the cheese sauce he was making on the stove top. If he knew his boyfriend, and boy, he knew he did, Darren Criss was not the type to back down from a challenge. Not when it involved him. He knew he should at least feel guilty about wanting to shake things up and putting his boyfriend in an uncomfortable position, but that was outweighed by his desire to show off to the world how perfect and happy his life is. A recent blind item even hinted at him working to rid of Darren from Glee? Seriously? The nerve of some people! He almost made good on his threat of smoking a pack that day when it came up online. Alla, being the sensible PR agent that she was, told him to ignore the whole bullshit. Chris silently wondered how Darren's PR would react if the black propaganda happened to the curly-haired man instead. They'd probably make him quit altogether, Chris snorted. Those people never made any sense. No wonder Darren's career was always questioned by the more ruthless citizens of the entertainment world. Good thing his boy friend was only a year and a half away from freedom. A short jingle alerted Chris to an incoming text message:

**From: My Secret Boyfriend too**

**To: My Secret Boyfriend**

It's a riot out there.

Whatever happens, don't believe what you see on Twitter or wherever. Ricky made me do it.

-:-

**To: My Secret Boyfriend too**

**From: My Secret Boyfriend**

I'm almost afraid to see it.

-:-

**From: My Secret Boyfriend too**

**To: My Secret Boyfriend**

It's a staged photo. My beard's got a ring as well. Cheap ass one too.

And don't worry. I'll make it up to you ;-)

-:-

**To: My Secret Boyfriend too**

**From: My Secret Boyfriend**

?_?

-:-

**From: My Secret Boyfriend too**

**To: My Secret Boyfriend**

You'll see. :-D

-:-

**To: My Secret Boyfriend too**

**From: My Secret Boyfriend**

If you get caught doing anything illegal, I will not be happy with conjugal visits every third Thursday.

-:-

**From: My Secret Boyfriend too**

**To: My Secret Boyfriend**

I've been called a 'SLY FOX' once. I'll put it to good use. ;-)

And CONJUGAL visits?

Am I missing something here?

-:-

**To: My Secret Boyfriend too**

**From: My Secret Boyfriend**

Fuck you.

Chris hit SEND and smiled to himself. Depending on what Darren comes up with, he'd make good on his word.

**0101010101010101010101010101010**


	2. Darren's Counter-Prank (PART TWO)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which, we see Darren's 'con-man' abilities come to play, Chris Colfer possibly having met his 'pranking' match, and oh, a surprise awaits you at the end.

**0101010101010101010101010101**

Three days after Chris had made the decision to cause mayhem within the CrissColfer fandom, he was still waiting for his boyfriend to make his move –that is, if Darren hadn't already to his personal knowledge.

The blue-eyed countertenor sat cross-legged on his bed, 9:30 p.m. on a Friday, sipping mint tea and typing away on his laptop when his phone rang. He paused going over the 5x19 script, "Old Dog, New Tricks," that he was redoing on Ryan's orders (something about a dream sequence in Bali involving fire dancers being not entirely feasible according to the Glee creator) and glanced at the blinking screen. It was one of those rare days when shooting finished early for the Glee Cast, and frankly, Chris thought that those should come by more often. During these rare days, he was used to just being left alone and not getting calls from any of his workmates past 8 p.m. So to his utter surprise (or not, considering), it seemed that Ryan Murphy was now wanting to talk to him.

Speak of the devil.

"Hey Ryan," Chris was too tired, too stressed out, to even feign enthusiasm. He slid his trusty laptop off of him before removing the rim-less prescription lenses perched on his nose. A barely audible sigh escaped his lips as he rubbed his left temple in soothing circles.

"Hey Chris. Just checking up on the revision. How's it going?"

"The Bali dream sequence has been written out," Chris told Ryan dejectedly. "To my defense, Darren liked the idea of Blaine's overly-gelled hair catching fire from one of the dancers. It would have been amazing to film –"

"Right," Ryan murmured. "As if his agent would allow it. Speaking of Darren –I want to know if you've already managed to solve the mystery of your missing ring –"

Oh. Right.  **The Ring.**  Proper capitalization and all.

Exactly a day after April Fools, the infamous silver ring that 'Kurt' wore went missing. Wardrobe and Props were at a loss (bad pun not intended) on its disappearance. Given that the ring was sterling silver, still, it wasn't that much valuable for your average thief to take interest in. In fact, it would probably make more sense to take on of Kurt's McQueen scarves –but missing, the 'engagement' ring still went. And THAT was kind of the freaky thing, really: why steal that particular piece? Was it not a cat burglar who struck on the inadequately (apparently) protected fortress that was the Glee Wardrobe and Prop Department, but a die hard fan –a stan –perhaps?

"No." Chris need not fake his ill-ease.  _'This is what I get for entrusting MY valuables to relative strangers.'_  He thought ruefully.  _'I should have just kept the damned thing on me at all times! Screw continuity! Screw PR and their conspiracies! Screw –'_

"I see," Ryan broke through Chris' internal rant. "Well, we'll just have to get a new one. I'm sure you can ask Darren for the number of the store where he got it –"

"No!" Chris stopped him. "I –I'll get the replacement myself. It's kind of my fault anyway –"

"But you have to make sure it looks the same," Ryan pointed out. "For continuity –"

Fuck continuity. "I'll take care of the ring problem, Ryan." Chris finished in a small voice. The issue was much more than storyboards and continuity. So yeah, probably Darren did not know a thing about the missing ring he had so painstakingly picked out and purchased for 'Kurt.'

"Are you sure?" Ryan asked him. Chris pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'll have Alla scour stores for an identical one," he replied, sounding the very least sure. Darren will so kill him. The man CANNOT know. Ever.

"Fine," Ryan finally conceded. "We can go for a few more takes without it, but we're going to need it soon. Fans are already starting to notice its absence –

"Wait, what?"

"Check online," the Glee producer told him. "Tumblr catches on faster than you think. See you tomorrow, Chris. And no more making Blaine's hair catch fire, okay? Especially in a costly dream sequence while on a tropical island."

**0101010101010101010101010101**

Shit.

Chris held his breath as he studied the post. It was a bunch of pictures –stills, behind-the-scenes and what-not –on set, each highlighting the missing 'engagement' ring.

Fuck.

Chris knew that Darren wasn't a frequenter of social media as much as he was nowadays, but who knows who could've already see this and told him?

Fuck. Shit.

The glass-eyed actor had been undoubtedly lucky that his boyfriend had been relatively distracted to notice that 'Kurt' wasn't wearing his ring during filming their scenes together. Who knows for how long that luck will last before it runs out?

And then there's the fact that said missing ring couldn't just be replaced by something from as easy as walking into a jewelry store on Santa Monica Boulevard, no. For when Darren was asked as 'Blaine' to pick a ring for his 'fiancé,' the indefatigable Mr. Criss of course had to go to the extremes and call the same jeweler who did his parents' wedding bands… in the Philippines. Sometimes Chris could only curse his boyfriend's thoroughness when it came to his grand gestures. The amber-eyed man was really good at it. TOO good.

Now, if only Chris could convince Alla of the 'life-and-death' necessity of calling an obscure jeweler located halfway around the globe that does not even accept credit card payments nor does overseas deliveries, then he'd be scott-free. In an ideal reality, his beloved agent would just nod and appease him; In the less than ideal one, she'd freak out big time and probably kill him. Alla may be more understanding of Chris and Darren's clandestine romance, but she was still wont to do whatever it took to keep the quiet. And leakage of the news of Chris Colfer ordering a ring from halfway around the world, from Darren Criss' mom's home country, from the said man's mom's personal jeweler specifically, would not sit well with his agent… Not when it puts her in possible direct contact, dealing with her self-sworn archnemesis, Ricky Rollins. Nope, the idea was so absurd, it was morbidly laughable. Alla would most definitely be committing a couple of murders if that happened…

' _Well, so now asking Darren for a CONFIRMATION doesn't seem like that much of a bad idea, does it?'_  A small voice in Chris' head asked mockingly.

Fuck. Shit. Crap. Damn… and whatever four-letter curse word you could add. He had more pressing matters to attend to.

Chris took another sip of his now-lukewarm tea as he scrolled-down the page to the bottom of the damning post. He almost spat out the bland liquid from his mouth as he read the last entry in the seemingly never-ending thread of comments:

onlyrulersarestraight21:

**Maybe the ring was 'returned to sender?'**

**0101010101010101010101010101**

Oh, the hell it was .Well, probably, the more appropriate term was 'reclaimed by sender' for the notorious silver band was indeed in the possession of none other than the one who had originally procured it.

Darren smiled to himself as he remembered his recent attempt at stealth: Really, he was anything but a thief –his mother had taught him better than that. But sometimes, you just have to succumb to a necessary evil to achieve your goals –take Darth Vader, for example. Or Lord Voldemort. Or Willy Wonka. Or –

Distracting the prop custodian was the easiest part of his 'con.' (so sue him, he was a HUGE fan of White Collar even before Matt Bomer had guested on Glee). Dealing with his guilt after the fact was the hardest, hands down. It took every bit of the curly-haired man's resolve and acting prowess to pretend that he did not notice the ring, missing from his boyfriend's –fiancé's finger, that and the nervous-slash-uneasy air around him and Chris whenever they were doing a scene together –the Broadway Quiz? Too obvious, Colfer. Try not to avoid my eyes too much, only to distract me with your squinty grin and your witty charm –God, you are so perfectly adorable…

Darren truly felt sorry that he had to pull one over the younger man, but sacrifices had to be made in order to make a statement –that's like, first thing in the Handbook of Making Statements. Given that the challenge was issued by a relative stranger, on social media at that, a challenge was a challenge –something that one Darren Everett Criss never backed down from.

He will get Chris that 'confirmation' or die trying.

Well, maybe not DIE, but he just had the perfect plan in mind… the perfect con… and the best part of it was, he would not be breaking any clause in his contract…

The 27 year old was alone in his L.A. apartment that same Friday night, two days after he had began executing plan, which he had adoringly referred to as: "Operation Wreck Social Media with a CrissColfer Riot" (pretty unimaginative in hindsight, but hey, you have to give the guy props for being straightforward). The M.I.A. ring (and God, how he hated, HATED those three letters together in that order) was currently safely stowed away in the false-bottomed drawer of his bedside table (he definitely watched too may Spy/Crime Dramas during his downtime). Darren was already in his bed, but his mind was whirring away with details as he pecked away on his laptop. It seemed that the 'missing' ring had already caught the attention of Tumblr-verse. Good. It seemed that waiting out a few days to put his plan into action was a smart move. It was one less thing to feel guilty about that he hadn't had to generate a post for it himself. He scrolled down to the very bottom of a long thread of comments and admired his own contribution to it. That sense of elation was short-lived however, when he saw the entry right below his:

princechristopheeverett21:

 **/\ as if the 'receiver' would willingly part with it. The only thing that would stop '** Kurt'  **from wearing it would be the '** **apocalypse.'**

Ouch. Darren grimaced. Had he gone too far to prove a point? As the man decided on how to proceed, he was distracted by a 'jingle' from his phone.

**From: Unknown Number**

**To: Darren Criss**

If you are going to do something, do it NOW. He almost sounded like he was about to cry a while ago when I spoke to him. If you don't move right away, I will be forced to tell. 60 minutes of primetime TV is at stake –that, and your burnt hair.

-:-

**To: Unknown Number**

**From: Darren Criss**

Moving in tonight. Stop the press. I'm about to make the statement of a lifetime ;-)

And did he really?

I swear I will not let you down. This is all for him you know… and primetime TV too…

-:-

**From: Unknown Number**

**To: Darren Criss**

FINALLY.

I know just which PRESS to hold hostage.

Good luck man. Do well. If you DO make him cry, I will allow him to do whatever and NO ONE will find the body. Other than that, remember the price you have to pay. (Read: IT'S YOUR HAIR).

-:-

Darren pocketed his phone without typing a reply. He need not to. Instead, he refocused his attention on his laptop. Not two minutes later, he hit REBLOG before logging off Tumblr, jumping off his comfy bed and grabbing his car keys. He secured them in his left back pocket before reaching for his false-bottomed drawer…

A further five minutes later, Darren Criss was cruising along Santa Monica Boulevard, headed towards a destination he knew quite well –it was ingrained in his subconscious. A quick glance at the clock on his dash told him it was already half-past eleven. He grinned at his reflection on the rearview mirror. Perfect.

Maybe before the day ends, he could give the tag 'MIDNIGHT MADNESS' a whole new meaning. The fandom would not know what hit them –heck, Chris wouldn't know what was about to hit him either.

**0101010101010101010101010101**

Meanwhile on Tumblr-verse:

The blogger known as youmakemefeelsoyoungcc hadn't been able to sleep properly for days –not since April Fools, to be quite specific. She, like many in the CrissColfer fandom, had been super-glued to their computers, their screens permanently locked on Tumblr. There was something going on – something big, and she felt that it was only just waiting for the perfect time to finally blow up. Call it her 'Mexican Third-Eye' (hey, what do you know, it DOES exist).

She saw the post about the missing ring for probably the 100th time that day (it wasn't even an exaggeration, believe me,) but each and every time she did, there was something added on to it that made her decide to REBLOG it every single time. She scrolled past the earlier entries until she reached the end:

onlyrulersarestraight21:

**Maybe the ring was 'returned to sender?'**

princechristopheeverett21:

 **/\ as if the 'receiver' would willingly part with it. The only thing that would stop '** Kurt'  **from wearing it would be the '** **apocalypse.'**

onlyrulersarestraight21:

**Then '** **apocalypse,'** **it is.**

It was an odd exchange –like those two were privy to something only the two of them could understand, which was a funny thing since they don't seem to be following each other. But it almost felt like a private conversation between friends, an inside joke…

The blogger known as youmakemefeelsoyoungcc could only shrug as she hit REBLOG for the nth time. Something BIG was about to happen, alright, and it seemed that only time could tell if it was indeed something quite as epic as the 'apocalypse.'

**0101010101010101010101010101**

Elsewhere; Earlier that night:

The man's real name was not 'Peter', but in his 'world' it would do. He knew it was kind of sleazy to operate that way, but when the threat of a libel suit could come knocking at your door any minute, an alias could save one's ass.

Peter was an honest reporter-slash-photojournalist by day, and during the less hectic hours of it, a dedicated member of the local paparazzi of El Pueblo del Nuestra Señora delos Angeles, which were a dime a dozen, to say the least. However, Peter's status as a practical non-entity in the bustling world of L.A. Photography Con was about to forever change that day, little did he know.

The call came in at a quarter past eleven, on one of his 'secure' mobile lines –only a few ever knew of that number, mostly nameless 'associates.'

"Yeah?" Peter's voice was naturally gruff, but more so that night. He hadn't had any sleep since his last 'break' approximately 4 days ago, about a starlet and her recording executive sugar-daddy –hardly worth anything at this day and age.

"Corner of Woodland and Palm," a nondescript voice murmured. Peter's eyebrows shot up almost comically.

"In –In Palmdale? That –But that's an exclusive neighborhood –"

"All the more for an exclusive story, don't you think?" The voice taunted.

"But –breaking in –it would be almost impossible!" Peter gasped into the phone. "Do you have any idea how tight the security is over there? What in the world could possibly be worth the risk of getting arrested for trespassing?"

"Not my problem." The voice told him stiffly. "You know how this works. I give you the details, you do the legwork. Get your ass ready at the corner of Woodland and Palm before midnight. Trust me, it will be worth spending a theoretical night in jail."

"But –" the line got cut. Peter ran his fingers through his sandy brown hair while taking a deep breath. He waited a few seconds before pressing a bunch of numbers on his phone. It rang. He hung up. The call traced back to a pay phone within the Hollywood Hills area. Great. Now his hope of putting a name to his anonymous 'source' was out the window. The call could have pretty much been anyone ranging from a singing waitress from a 24/7 diner, to a seedy talent agent holding a grudge, to a big-shot producer who needed free PR for his project. Peter pocketed his secure phone and grabbed another, less discrete one.

"Bart?

"Pete?"

"I need a listing for Palmdale."

"Sweet. Parameters?"

"A-list, to lower B."

"That's a lot of names. That would take all night." Bart told him. Peter checked his watch.

"I need it in fifteen. Can you do it?"

"For a price."

"Twenty," Peter offered. There was a pause, before:

"No can do. Twenty five," said Bart. Peter sighed.

"Fine. Deal."

"I'll email the list to you in five. Any specifics? That neighborhood is huge."

Peter backtracked to what his 'tipster' had told him. "Woodland and Palm –and any immediate adjacent street in all directions –and possibly the schedule of security rotations too."

"No problemo, amigo."

"Thanks, Bart."

Five minutes later, at exactly 11:13 p.m., Peter was looking at an email attachment from Bart. It turns out, there weren't that many names to choose from, at least, not many that could be worth spending a cold night in jail for anyway.

There was but one name that could be found exactly on the corner of Woodland and Palm…

Peter grabbed his old trusty DSLR on his way out of his shoebox apartment. Now, he could only hope that this tip was legit –if her managed to pull this one off, he could sleep the rest of the month off in peace.

**0101010101010101010101010101**

Darren checked his watch as soon as he got his discrete black Mazda parked along the corner of Woodland Avenue and Oak Drive. It was five minutes before midnight.

Showtime.

The man secured his vehicle and proceeded to walk the extra block towards his destination. His curls were an artful mess, as it was when it was free of any product whatsoever –it was distinctly him. The sky was partly dark, the moon halfway hidden by a fleet of dark clouds, and only a tiny spray of stars could be seen. But the lampposts every few meters provided light more than enough for him to see and be seen. For yes, he WAS there to be seen. The relatively warmer April air caressed the bare skin of his face and forearms as he purposely strode towards a nondescript house –one that looked identical to every single one that was on Palm Street.

Darren briefly paused before climbing up a brick stoop and finally stopping before a handsome mahogany door. The brass numbers on it clearly said '1206.' With a wide grin, the 27 year old actor rang the doorbell once. A muffled "Just a minute!" came from within the dimly-lit household, but he need not wait that long. Moments later, the door was pulled open and a surprised face greeted the Glee star.

"Dare? What –it's late! What –you –"

"Hey babe," Darren's smile widened as he grabbed the flustered-looking person by the waist and captured the babbling lips in a searing kiss.

' _SNAP! SNAP! SNAP!'_

Behind a tall bush, at the nearby otherwise deserted corner of Woodland and Palm, an old DSLR camera was working double-time to capture each and every single movement of one Darren Criss –and one Chris Colfer who were locked in a heated embrace…

**0101010101010101010101010101**


	3. WHAT HAPPENS AFTER --SOCIAL MEDIA GOES ON APOCALYPSE (PART THREE)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When shit hits the proverbial and literal fan/s. A.K.A. the day social media met the apocalypse.

**0101010101010101010101010101010**

**(April 5, 2014; 3 a.m. –ish EST; Tumblr-verse)**

**(Photoset)**

X (source)

.darrenchrislover:

***FLAILING* OMG! OMG! OMG! I JUST –I CAAAAAAANTTTTT!**

**Asdfjkl;asdfjkl asdf jkl asdf jkl;sdf jkl;asdf jkl;asdf jkl;**

#Midnight Madness #CC Riot #The Ring #CrissColfer

.youmakemefeelsoyoungcc:

**WHY? WHY? HUWAHAHAHAHAAAAAY? I am NOT worthy! OMFG – somebody pinch me!**

**(sings) Is this real life? Or is this fantasy?**

#Midnight Madness

.willismydisneyprince:

**Once again, the DELUSIONAL SHIP churns out a mediocre MANIP. BRAVO. *slow clapping***

.miarrenorcrissvonswier:

**This is getting LAME, actually.**

#lol crisscolfer

.darrenchrislover:

**/\ get lost, bitches. You're the delusional ones.**

#lol chillarren

.vampireunicornandskates:

**Not to sound like the expert here, but this picture is TOO grainy, TOO haphazard to be a MANIP. And we all know how PERFECTLY done the CC MANIPS are, so…**

**It's a real PAP shot**

**It's a REAL PHOTO**

**It's REAL.**

**IT REALLY HAPPENED.**

#It Finally Happened #CrissColfer

.starkidangel53:

**OMG. Guys. I NEED YOU TO HOLD ME. Because –**

**(gif)**

***drowns in feels***

.stillgoingstrong:

**THERE. WAS. NEVER. A DOUBT. IN. MY MIND.**

#CrissColfer Is On #take that haters #It Finally Happened

.potterklainedreamgleek:

**What is that sound I hear?**

.aliensarereal:

**The sound of millions of CC shippers rejoicing**

#CrissColfer Is On

.stillgoingstrong:

**The sound of a thousand (that's exactly how many they are) CHILLARREN SHIPPERS breathing their last dying breath.**

.darrenchrislover:

**That's the sound of the CrissColfer ship victoriously approaching the shore after a long journey in the rough seas.**

.youmakemefeelsoyoungcc:

**That's the sound of the apocalypse.**

#The Ring #CC Riot #Midnight Madness #It Finally Happened

.darrenchrislover:

**Friends, Romans, Countrymen, Foreigners…**

**THIS IS NOT A DRILL. I REPEAT, THIS IS NOT A DRILL!**

.blackgreywhite:

**What did I miss? So, there's a photo of Blaine (Darren?) kissing Kurt (Chris?) and then one giving him a ring (that suspiciously looks like the missing Klaine engagement ring once you blow it up?)**

**Huh?**

.vampireunicornsandskates:

**/\ You have to know the history of our long-suffering, star-crossed couple for this photoset to have its desired impact on your fan girl feels.**

**((READ MORE))**

First, let's clear this up: The two people in the picture are DARREN and CHRIS – **NOT—** Blaine and Kurt. The messy, tousled curls on the shorter guy are all DARREN. Same goes for the disheveled, laid-back look –that is all CHRIS (and the glasses!).

They are not hiding behind characters here.

Second, YES, that is most probably the missing Klaine engagement ring (remember the riot it caused just a few days back? Coincidence? I think not.)

But THAT is NOT the point. The point is, it is a ring, Darren has it, and he's giving it to Chris (photo on the rightmost). The surprised look on Chris' face (same photo –gah, I wish this was a gif instead) tells us that most likely, he wasn't aware of the existence of the said ring on Darren's person –another sign pointing to the fact that this was NOT a staged Kurt and Blaine scene. I mean, why would Chris (Kurt) react to being presented a ring that he was supposed to already have (as Kurt) that way? That is only because this is NOT Blaine giving (or returning) Kurt's (missing) ring). At least NOT in THAT context.

Read my lips: This is Darren presenting Chris with a ring. Now regardless of which ring it is, it does not matter.

Third, the kiss (photo in the middle) that followed the familiar hug (leftmost photo) is jauntily, playfully, almost whimsically placed right dab smack on the lips (as seen on the brilliant angle where the shot was taken from –lucky pap). Again, not so sound like an expert here, but to date, there are only TWO types of KLAINE KISS, hereto referred as KLISS/ES: The slow, sweet, heartfelt one (first kiss, engagement kiss) and the passionate, clothes-flying-everywhere, sexually-charged one (back-seat kiss, new new york kiss).

The one as shown in particular does not fall unto any of the established KLISS categories we've discussed. Why? Simply because IT IS NOT a KLISS.

Darren is holding Chris tightly on the shoulders as he leans forward from his spot about a foot away. His lips pucker up almost comically as his upper body makes an acute angle. You can tell by Chris' reaction that there is also a significant force exerted from Darren's body (excitement?), that, if this were a video, I'm pretty sure we would've seen Chris take a step back because of the impact. Instead, we see him bending slightly backwards, matching Darren's angle, his hands grasping Darren's waist for support (see how his fingers curve against the fabric of Darren's t-shirt?)

All in all, we can conclude from this that this type of kiss was one that the two of them had already shared countless of times before (did someone say routine?) I can pretty much imagine this happening many clandestine nights in the past when Darren comes home (allow my poetic license, please) after a long day at work and Chris welcomes him at the door, and Darren, being the excitable puppy he is, lands an eager one on his lover even before he manages a proper hello…

This is not a stage kiss. Nor is it a spur-of-the-moment decision. They've been doing this for years (poetic license in play).

That said, do you now realize why THIS is such a BIG DEAL? It proves our theory in fact that:

**CrissColfer is REAL**

**It has been going on for a while**

**It is not a figment of our imagination. WE ARE NOT DELUSIONAL!**

#It Finally Happened #CrissColfer Is On #Midnight Madness #CC Riot #The Ring CC

.darrenchrislover:

**/\ THIS. YES. OMG.**

.youmakemefeelsoyoungcc:

***cries* so beautiful…**

**But, are we forgetting something though? This also proves the fact that Darren's PR WAS trying to cover it up! Oh man, I hate to be the guy who TRIES to do DAMAGE CONTROL on this one *cough* Ricky *cough*.**

**And how about the lovely (note sarcasm) Miss Von Glitz? And Willdo?**

**I'd hate to be them right now.**

#lol Darren's PR #we are watching your every move #lol Miarren #lol Chill #lol beards #lol fakes

.stillgoingstrong:

**It's a PAAAAAARTAAAAAAAYYYYY! It's a CRISSCOLFER PARTY and everyone is invited!**

#well not the haters #it's not too late to jump ship tho #i'm talking to you chillarrens

.starkidangel53:

**CRISSCOLFER IS ON… and on… and on… and on… and on…**

.staff:

**In behalf of the Tumblr staff, we congratulate the CrissColfer fandom. But please, refrain from flailing too much. Don't break the site. Don't.**

.crisscolferfandom:

**Dear staff,**

**We apologize. It is out of our hands.**

**Sincerely,**

**CrissColferFandom**

**P.S. SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!**

***'Cooper Andersons' to the ground***

#CC RIOOOOOOOOOOOTTTTTT! #Midnight Madness #It Finally Happened #death by feels

**-:-**

**4, 003, 082 notes**

**0101010101010101010101010101010**

**OOPS! Something went wrong there. We'll try to get the issue fixed ASAP. In the meantime, go flail somewhere else.**

**Sincerely,**

**Tumblr staff**

**0101010101010101010101010101010**

**(Meanwhile, about the same time over at Twitter…)**

**theKlaineMafia:**

**Darren Criss** **chriscolfer** You guys -argh! I just can't!  **#TheRingCC #CCRIOT #midnightmadness #CrissColferIsOn**

**ChrisbelleColfer:**

RT if you're flailing with us!

(photoset)

**#MidnightMadness #ItFinallyHappened #CCRiot #TheRingCC**

**darrenchrislover3:**

We just broke Tumblr guys!

(image)

**#MidnightMadness #ItFinallyHappened #CCRiot #TheRingCC**

**CrissColferMob:**

Currently short-circuiting from all the feels! AAAAAAAAHHHH! RT!

**#ItFinallyHappened #CCRiot #TheRingCC #midnightmadness #CrissColferIsOn**

**143NYCGleek:**

TREND:  **#ItFinallyHappened #CCRiot #TheRingCC #midnightmadness #CrissColferIsOn**

RT!

**heysoulsister09:**

RT because our ship has finally reached the shore!

(photo)

**#ItFinallyHappened**

**-:-**

**rockinricky:**

A press release will be given in 24 hours. Thank you for your patience.

**allaK1593:**

Good day.  **chriscolfer**  will not be commenting at the moment, but rest assured that the issue will be addressed in due time. Thank you.

**-:-**

(Direct Messages)

**MrRPMurphy:**

**chriscolfer**  On second thought, let's do the Bali scene for 5X19 instead of the Peter Pan scene.  **DarrenCriss**  get your fire insurance ready.

**-:-**

**chriscolfer:**

**MrRPMurphy**  WHAT? BTW, I'm not talking to you and  **DarrenCriss**

**-:-**

**DarrenCriss:**

**MrRPMurphy**  LET'S! I want to see Blaine's gelmet catch fire.

**-:-**

**DarrenCriss:**

**chriscolfer**  What did I do exactly? Love you. xoxo.

**-:-**

**MrRPMurphy:**

**DarrenCriss** I love that you are so eager to put your life on the line. And they WONDER why I give you the craziest storylines. #Blee

**-:-**

**MrRPMurphy:**

**chriscolfer**  I did not do anything.

**-:-**

**chriscolfer:**

**MrRPMurphy** So you DID NOT conspire with my boyfriend to hide the ring and make me think it was lost? Shame on you, Ryan. Shame on you.

**-:-**

**MrRPMurphy:**

**chriscolfer**  I plead the fifth.  **DarrenCriss**  is on his own on this one. Bye guys. See you tomorrow at work. Should be fun.

**-:-**

**chriscolfer:**

**DarrenCriss**  You aren't completely forgiven yet. But you did get me my CONFIRMATION, so…

**-:-**

**DarrenCriss:**

**chriscolfer**  As soon as I escape this emergency meeting with Joe and Ricky, I'll be back home to change your mind, 'kay? I'm really really really sorry, you know?

**-:-**

**chriscolfer:**

**DarrenCriss** Fine. Better get off Twitter though. We don't want to contribute to the site crashing.

**-:-**

**DarrenCriss:**

**chriscolfer** Yeah, well too bad Tumblr's already down. I haven't even seen the photos yet. But you're right. See you later. My place?

**-:-**

**chriscolfer:**

**DarrenCriss** Can we not converse like normal people? I'll text you my answer. Good luck on surviving the firing squad.

**0101010101010101010101010101010**

**(Same Day too…)**

**From: Will Sherrod**

**To: Chris Colfer**

Wow. Just wow. Give a guy a head's up, will you?

**-:-**

**To: Will Sherrod**

**From Chris Colfer:**

I had no idea this was going to happen.

I apologize in behalf of Darren and myself.

-:-

**From: Will Sherrod**

**To: Chris Colfer**

Whatever. You guys owe me, Like BIG TIME.

This is it, I guess.

Congrats, I think?

**-:-**

**To: Will Sherrod**

**From Chris Colfer:**

If only it were THAT easy.

I'll tell Alla to give you a bonus.

-:-

**From: Will Sherrod**

**To: Chris Colfer**

Is she there with you? Wow. And she hasn't killed you or Darren yet?

Thanks Chris. You take care. Give those asses a kick for me.

**-:-**

**To: Will Sherrod**

**From Chris Colfer:**

She is. And I'm barely hanging by the skin of my teeth.

Alla's holding me hostage until Darren gets back so…

And I will do, Willdo.

**0101010101010101010101010101010**

**willsherrod**  deleted his Twitter Account.

**0101010101010101010101010101010**

**adminsupport:**

Emergency Maintenance shut down scheduled in 5minutes. Site will be inaccessible during down time.

**0101010101010101010101010101010**

Error: 403 Forbidden. ./. .com*

**0101010101010101010101010101010**

**(Same day, over at Facebook…)**

**Darren Chris Fan Page** posted a photo:

**2,153,001 likes**

**50,023 comments**

**Janna Hollman**  asdfjkl;asdf jkl; asdjkl; asdjkl; asd jkl;asdfa jkl;

 **Beth Miller**  WOOT! WOOT!  **#ItFinallyHappened**

 **JC Parker**  Never thought this day would come!

 **Tommy Pickler**  As if this isn't another of those delusional manips.

 **Freida Rivera**   **Tommy Pickler**  just be happy for Darren, okay? Isn't that what you Miarren shippers always say?

 **Skylar Anderson Freida Rivera**  that's what you get from these haters. They can't handle the truth.  **#CrissColferIsOn**

 **Tommy Pickler** WHATEVER.

 **Morgan Rittenbach** I think I'm going to cry…. MY BABIES! I'm so happy for you both!  **#TheRingCC**

 **Christelle Schiavone** RIIIIIIOOOOOOTTTTTT!  **#CCRiot**

See more comments

**0101010101010101010101010101010**

**Error: 408 Could not locate the server. http .:. (/) dcfanpage (/)4123627(/)**

**0101010101010101010101010101010**

**(Same day –a really long day, isn't it?)**

**From: Ricky Rollins**

**To: Darren Criss**

WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO?

-:-

**To: Ricky Rollins**

**From: Darren Criss**

Nothing illegal.

-:-

**From: Ricky Rollins**

**To: Darren Criss**

You did this! You set this up!

-:-

**To: Ricky Rollins**

**From: Darren Criss**

You can't prove that.

Just give it up, Rick. Charade's over.

-:-

**From: Ricky Rollins**

**To: Darren Criss**

Wait 'til Joe hears this.

-:-

**To: Ricky Rollins**

**From: Darren Criss**

Be Our (my) Guest.

Look! –Broadway Musical Reference! My BOYFRIEND would be so proud.

Have a good day man, I know I will. See you later.

**0101010101010101010101010101010**

**One Blocked Number:** Ricky Rollins 412-783-XXXX

**0101010101010101010101010101010**

**16 Missed Calls from 412-863-XXXX (Mia Swier)**

**0101010101010101010101010101010**

**From: Mia Swier**

**To: Darren Criss**

Why aren't you answering my calls? We NEED to talk! WHY are you doing this to me?

-:-

**From: Mia Swier**

**To: Darren Criss**

This is NOT COOL, Darren! This is NOT in the contract! You are supposed to be MY BOYFRIEND! Now what would I do? They will remove me from my job because you busted our act! WHAT THE HELL? You just think of yourself! I have five children to feed at home – you BASTARD!

-:-

**From: Mia Swier**

**To: Darren Criss**

I swear I will ruin you and your twinky boyfriend!

-:-

**To: Mia Swier**

**From: Darren Criss**

Hello Mia.

Goodbye Mia.

Good Riddance.

**0101010101010101010101010101010**

**One Blocked Number:** Mia Swier 412-863-XXXX

**0101010101010101010101010101010**

**MiaVonGlitz**  deleted her Twitter Account.

**0101010101010101010101010101010**

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

**0101010101010101010101010101010**

**A/N:** I was actually debating on procrastinating and leaving you hanging for a little bit more while I finish the WHOLE thing in this chapter (read: a few weeks more), but I guessed that you may want an update on this sooner rather than later… even if it was shorter. Anyhow, the PLOT resumes in the next and FINAL PART - if you did not get what happened from this, wait for the concluding chapter – which will be up for the price of a few reviews… if you want…. It's not like I'm forcing you lovely people or anything. But just so you know I'm not kidding, here's a teaser of **PART 4:**

**(Excerpt from APRIL FOOLS –PART 4)**

" **So, Darren, I think we all want to know –is it true that you've switched management companies?" The woman, Mindy, he thought he was called –so sue him, he was bad with names –at least he remembered that she was from The Hollywood Reporter, give him that. Darren managed a polite smile as he leaned back in his seat, his arms wide and his legs astride –it was what his new handler, Stella, coached him on body language before he went on the interview –what was that again? Taking space? Showing them he's confident? Controlling the game?**

" **Yes, yes I did."**

" **Oh," the woman –Misty –frowned a bit. She consulted her cue cards before looking him in the eye again. "Schumacher Management refused to comment on why they decided to let you go sooner when in fact you still have until Fall of 2015 with them –your fans want to know though –are we getting any answer from you on that front?"**

**Darren had the urge, the compelling urge to cross his arms –but that was a tell-tale show of defiance. He had talked this with Stella –it was the last thing he wanted to convey to his fans. Instead of doing what his instinct told him, he took a deep breath and met Macy's (?) blue eyes.**

" **It was a long-standing conflict of artistic vision." Darren managed to say without pause. He mentally congratulated himself. His interviewer's face couldn't switch any faster –from scrutinizing to triumphant: AHA! Darren frowned. What the hell was going on? He chanced a glance at the far corner to his left where his new manager was supposed to be lurking around only to find her gone.**

**Where the fuck was Stella?**

" _Just sit there, relax and remember what I told you," the dark-eyed, dark-haired woman told him softly not thirty minutes ago. "Trust me, everything will be okay."_

" _But we didn't rehearse any answers!" Darren blurted out worriedly. "How the heck am I supposed to answer the questions –"_

" _You have a brain, don't you?" Stella looked at him inquisitively. "I told you when I signed you that you run this show –I'll give you tips and what-not, but it's your call on what you let people know –"_

" _You –are crazy –" Darren gasped disbelievingly. "Utterly crazy."_

_Stella grinned at him. "Hey, if you want to follow orders from a task master, I'm pretty sure Rick and Joe would still take you back –"_

" _Not a chance in hell." Darren cut her off with a smile of his own. A few seconds later though, that smile faltered a bit. "Has Chris called in yet?"_

_Stella patted his arm comfortingly. "Don't worry okay? I'm on it –"_

" _But the interview –they will ask –I need him to be -"_

" _Five minutes! Places everyone!" Someone from the crew yelled. Stella all but pushed Darren towards the set-up. "Go! Make your momma proud!"_

" _But –"_

" _Go !"_

**Darren cursed internally… the dreaded question was coming… he could feel it… any minute now…**

**Misty shuffled her pink index cards before asking Darren again, the knowing look on her face not changing.**

" **Oh, so it wasn't because of what happened a few days ago?" One perfectly manicured eyebrow was raised. "A little something called a CRISSCOLFER Riot?"**

**BINGO.**

**To his credit, the grin on his handsome face stayed on. But inside, he was panicking.**

' _This is so NOT how I want to come clean! Where are you Stella? Where's Chris? I'm going to –'_

**Darren finally crossed his arms and legs. Screw body language.**

" **Well –"**

" **Sorry, I'm late –"**

**Everyone in the room turned to look at the voice that spoke out of turn. Eyes were wide, but none were wider than Darren's himself.**

**(TBC…)**

**-:-**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For now, I bid you adieu. By the way, you can also check me and my stuff out at:
> 
> FACEBOOK: C.M. Oliver is Eastwoodgirl
> 
> FFNet: C.M. Oliver is Eastwoodgirl
> 
> Twitter: C.M. Oliver (a.t.) heyitschesca (#cmoliverfanfiction)
> 
> Tumblr: klaineloveandsnarrydreams(#cmoliverfanfiction)


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